Ferrule crimping tool



Feb. 3, 1948. R. c. swr-:NGEL

FERRULE CRIMPING TOOL vn R E 5% mw TT v5.m m. CM um e 40.

Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATEN'roFFlcl-z FERRULE CRIMPING TOLi Robert C. Swengel, Goldsboro, Pa., assigner to Aircraft-MarineProducts Inc., Harrisburg, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationOctober 5, 1944, Serial No. 557,271

2 Claims. 1

V'I'his invention relates to crimping tools or the like and particularlyto tools such as are employed for crimpingthe ferrules of terminalconnectors upon the ends of electrical conductors. More particularly theinvention relates tosimple means for quickly adapting a crimping tool orthe like for use with various sizes of wire or with varying ferrulediameters so as to prevent either insuilicient engagement or weakeningof the wire by over-compression in the operation of crimping the ferruleupon the end of the electrical conductor.r

As more fully set forth in the copending application of U. A. Whitaker,Serial No. 455,039, filed August 17, 1942, and now abandoned, forElectrical connectors, a tool which has been set to compress a ferruleto a certain cross-sectional area on a given wire would compress alarger size ferrule on the same wire to such an extent as to weaken thewire by unduly reducing its cross section; whereas, with an undersizewire or ferrule, the compression might not be such as to achieve perfectresults. It is, therefor-e, desirable that provision be made for quicklyand easily adjusting the tool to obtain the desired crimping result withany set of conditions within a predetermined range.

A general object of the present invention, therefore, is to providesimple means (preferably operable by the hand which holds and operatesthe tool) for varying the limit of approach of the crimping dies to eachother in the crimping operation, whereby, as above suggested, the toolmay be quickly adjusted for different wire gauges or to differentferrule sizes, or to both.r More particularly the invention aims toprovide a stop which is movable into different positions between thejaws which carry theY crimping dies so as to vary the amount of closingmovement of these jaws.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the adjustable stop forvarying the approach of the crimping die carrying jaws to each other isshown as incorporated in a crimping tool of the double lever type and animportant feature of the illustrative embodiment of the invention is themounting ofthe jaw stop on a slide guided on the link which tiestogether the crimping die jaws, this slide being so arranged that it maybe engaged by the thumb of the tool opery Other objects and importantfeatures of the invention to which attention has not specifically beendirected hereinabove will appear from the following description andclaims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Although in the accompanying drawings I have shown a preferredembodiment of my invention and have described the same and suggestedvarious modifications thereof in this specification, it is to beunderstood that these are not intended to be either exhaustive orlimiting of the invention, but, on the contrary, are chosen for thepurposes of illustrating the invention in order that others skilled inthe art may so fully understand the invention, its principles and theapplication thereof, that they may embody it and adapt it in numerousforms, each as may be best suited to section; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view with a part of the stop slide brokenaway.

The crimping tool in which the stop means of the present invention isshown as embodied is of the generaltype more fully shown in thecopending application of Uncas A. Whitaker, Serial Nor-155,039, and isof the double lever type.

In other words, the tool comprises handle levers V20 and 2| pivotallyconnected to each other at 40' and held with their hand-engaging longarms in separated relation by a spring 4l'. The jaw levers 24 and 25,which carry, or in which are formed, `the crimping dies 26 and 21, arefulvcrurned on a pivot 28 and pins 32 and 33, peened over at their upperand lower Vends upon links 4'2and 43 which serve to maintain Athe pivotpins 32 and 33 in a predetermined spaced relation to each other.

.The long arms of the jaw levers 24 and 25 are pivotally connected at 38and 39 to the short arms of the handle levers 2l] and 2| respectively.

`From theforegoing description it will 4be seen that when the handlesare grasped by the hand of the operator and moved toward each other thepivots 38 and 39 will move away from each other and rock 'the jawslevers 24 and 25 about the pivots `32 and 33 to move the crimping dies'26 and 21 toward each other. If no stop be interposed between the jaws,the dies 26 and '21 will be 'moved toward each other until their natfaces actually abut at their tips 30-3|. This will determine thecrimping action for the smallest gauge of wire and the smallest ferruleto be crimped thereon forwhich the tool isvadapted. If, however, it bedesired to use the tool with a larger gauger of wire and a ferrule ofcorrespondingly larger diameter it is impor-tant, in order to preventinjury to the wire or to the ferrule, to stop the movement of the dies26 and21 short of this actual abutment. To this end the inventioncontemplates the provision of a-Ystop that can be interposed between thejaws at a point or at different points on the jaw parts of the levers 24and 25 between the crimpingdies' 26'an'df21'and the outer edge or end ofthe link 42.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention thisstop 44 is shown asa downturned lugupon a slide 45 stamped up 'out'ofsheet metal'and havinga wider portion beyond the stop portion 44,this wider portion being,however, not'suilieiently wide to prevent its sliding between the pivotpins 32 and 33. Instamping out the stop slide 45, as shown moreparticularly in Figure 2 `of the drawings, the central'portion thereofis stamped up to form a thumb piece 46 and the end ofthe slide is turnedup at 4'! to engage in parallel dents 48`formed in the'spring holder 50which is snapped onto the link 42.

To hold the slide 45 in operative relation and at the same time topermit its adjustment lengthwise of the link, a spring'holder 50 isVprovided which, as shown in the sectional view, Fig- .ure 3, is providedwith an opening 5I in its` upper part to receive the thumb piece 46 andembraces the slide 45 by inturnedsnapilanges 52. and 53 on its sideswhich engage grooves 54 land 55 in the side of the link 42.

'in which it may 'then be located and to travel into the next adjacentdepression. The slide 44 :is made of metal suiciently strong towithstand rthe stress of this snap'over with no permanent bending andonly slight resilient bending. To improve this rigidityy I prefer tomake the end v41 stamped out, as shown in Figurev 2, rather than merelybending up the end. e y

In this manner thel slide 45 may be moved to bring the stop 44 intodifferent predetermined stop positions between the jaws'24'and 25. fIt

will be obvious, of course, that the thumb engaging surface of the thumbpiece l46 may be Vmilled or knurled, etc., if desired, to insure proper-gripping of the thumb piece 46 by the thumb.

Washers`49 between the jaw levers 24 and 25 and the link 42 providethenecessary spacing for the slide 45 under the link. It is alsofeasible to mount the slide above the'link, stamping a 'suitable guidingrecess 56 in the'spring holder 50a, as shown in Figure 4. Thisarrangement, "however, puts the slide 45a and the upper part ofthe lug44a in aposition' more vulnerable to injury by ordinary handling of thetool. In the tool shown in FigureA 4, a'projection 41a is formed 'at oneor 'both sides of the slide 45a and grooves 48a are formed in thesurface ofthe link 42a. These serve as a detent under pressure 'of thespring 50a. Or the groove and projection can .each-adjustment of theslide as shown in Figure 5, and these faces may be made at such anglesrespectively, that opposed faces are always parallel, or at the sameangle to each other, when Ythey engage the stop 44.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple means havebeen provided by the present .invention for quickly and easily adapt'-ing 'a crimping tool'for use with wires `of different gauges and for usewith ferrules of different cross-sectional dimensions.

`I claim:

1. In a tool of the class described, thev come bination with pivoteddie-carrying jaws having suitable operating handles connected thereto'of a' slide mounted for movement along a line withf inthe angledetermined by opposed faces ofv said jaws; said slide including a stopportionextending between said jaws and` upon which the jaws may beclosed'to limit the extent of their approach toward one another, saidjaws being pivoted respectively at spaced pivots on a relativelystationary mernber; said stationary member being provided lwithresilient means holding said slide against relative movement withrespect thereto,'and said resilient means and said slide 4includingcooperating detents Ifor holding said slide and stop portion in anadjusted position.

2. In a tool, of the class described, the combination with pivotedydie--carrying jaws having suitableoperating handles connected theretoof a slide mounted for'movement along a linefewithin the angledetermined by opposed faces of said jaws; saidslide being a sheet metalstamping an'd including a 'fiat slide -portionv having a toothprojecting lfrom one side"r thereof, a central thumb `piece`stampedup'from `said flat portion anda "stop portion vbent'down from said flatportion and projecting between the jaws of the tool, said 4jawsbeingpivoted respectively at spacedpivots "on a relatively stationary member,said station- 'ary member being provided Iwith resilient means holdingVsaid "slide against relative movement with respect thereto, and ayseries of depressions in'said stationary member adaptedfto engage saidtooth under pressure of the resilient means and suiciently shallow toallo'w said vtooth to move'from one depression to another -by resilientyielding of said resilient means. l P

- ROBERTO. SWENGEL.

REFERENCES 'CITED vThe following'referencesare of record in' the iile"of this' patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l 732,501 Baker June 30, 1903V1,693,755 Hotz Dec. 4, 1928 2,244,482 Baxter et al. June 3, 1941341,136 Ellrich May4, 1836 110,789 Robertson Jan. 3, 1871 675,023 SmytheMay28, 1901 '11107,243 Adams Aug. 11, 1914

